One of the first goals of our Public Art committee was to install a new mural in Holdrege. After the committee reviewed locations, one that stood out was the Rite Way Building on the east end of Holdrege. The building has a mostly blank wall (there had been parking signage and a Glenwood sign) and is one of the first things visitors would see upon entering Holdrege from the east.

Our committee spoke with the owners of the building - Rite Way Milk / the Stewart family - and they were very supportive of the project, including donating financially to our goal. Paired with the money from an Improvement Grant from the Phelps County Visitors Committee, the team was able to get started finding artists.

In April, the Public Art committee launched a request for qualifications for the mural project. We had over 130 applicants from over 30 states (and other countries). The committee whittled the applicants to a pool of approximately 25 that they felt best represented what the District wanted out of the first commissioned mural. Then they met to select their top three candidates, who were then paid to complete a mural design for our project.

Of the three finalists, the public art committee unanimously chose Dan Toro’s work because of his use of bold colors and attention to detail. The mural idea he presented for Holdrege is relatable and tells a story.

Below is a gallery of the images from his application.